Chloe threw her shopper bag in any direction as she entered the CEO’s office. Samuel, the 35-year-old assistant who had been in the room earlier, was taken aback by her arrival. Curious, he mustered the courage to ask.
“What’s going on, Miss? Is something bothering you?”
Chloe sat down in her chair, leaning back as she sought a comfortable position. Shortly afterward, she gently massaged her throbbing forehead.
“He’s getting more and more intense in approaching me! Not to mention, Dad asked me to accept his proposal.” Chloe couldn’t hide her frustration any longer. “If you only knew, I’m sick of seeing his face every day.”
Samuel nodded in understanding. It seemed that his boss was in a bad mood.
“If I may suggest, why don’t you just accept his proposal?” he said.
“Married to that scoundrel?” Chloe turned and glared disapprovingly. “Seriously, Sam? Don’t be crazy.”
“I understand,” Samuel nodded. He stood up from the sofa and pulled a chair in front of Chloe, then sat down. “But isn’t it your plan to get close to him and then crush him? So why let the plan you’ve been working on go to waste?”
“I deliberately entrust my dignity to trap Edward. Making him feel guilty and then execute all our plans. But that doesn’t mean I have to marry him,” Chloe explained.
Once again, Samuel nodded in understanding.
“I know you want revenge. But think about it, if you want to destroy an Edward Martin to the core, why not just accept his proposal?”
“What do you mean?”
“Make him fall in love with you, Chloe. Once he’s conquered, do what you have to do,” Samuel whispered.
Chloe raised both eyebrows.
“Believe me, Sam. Even now, when we don’t have any official relationship, he’s already head over heels for me. So why should I bother marrying and becoming his wife?”
Samuel sighed in frustration. Apparently, it wasn’t easy to make Chloe understand what he meant.
“It’s possible that Edward is just curious but hasn’t fallen in love with you yet,” Samuel raised an eyebrow. Leaning forward, he whispered, “Just imagine if he really falls in love. He would do anything you say. And when you become Mrs. Martin, no one will suspect you when you execute your plan. Once all the plans are carried out, you can leave him in ruin and misery.”
“Oh my goodness!” Chloe exclaimed. “You’re clever, Sam.”
She curled the corner of her lips into a smile. Finally, she understood what her assistant had been trying to convey.
Samuel was right. Maybe after becoming Edward’s wife, she would have the freedom to execute all the plans she had carefully laid out.
“So, what should I do now, Sam?” Chloe asked, seeking advice. She couldn’t afford to make a mistake this time.
“Start being kind. Don’t be too obvious. Take it slowly, so it looks natural,” Samuel advised. Chloe nodded, understanding his suggestion, and began to think about her next moves.
Meanwhile, in another place, Edward appeared to be engaged in a serious conversation with his father, Alexander. They had been discussing work matters for a while. After reaching an agreement, the middle-aged man shifted the topic to the schedule of appointing a new CEO, which was drawing closer.
Considering that Edward still hadn’t found a potential wife, Alexander had to think quickly. He didn’t want his son’s position to be replaced by someone else that the other board members might propose.
“Ed, how about your future wife? Have you found her?” Alexander asked.
Edward put down his pen and raised his face, shaking his head weakly. “You can’t find a future wife in the blink of an eye, Pa. Finding a suitable partner in such a short time is not an easy task. I’m well aware of that.”
“In that case, just give up and accept your fate to be arranged by me,” Alexander suggested.
“With whom? What do you mean by ‘Anak Mr. Dylan’?” Edward furrowed his brows.
Alexander nodded. “If you like Dylan Arley’s daughter, I’d be more than happy to propose on your behalf.”
Edward smiled knowingly upon hearing his father’s words. In his heart, he thought, “That’s the woman I’ve been aiming for all this time. Even if Papa arranges it with her, why should I refuse? This makes it even easier for me to get her.”
“Yes, I give up,” Edward said, raising both hands. “I accept your offer, Pa, to be engaged to Dylan’s daughter. It seems like she’s suitable for me.”
Alexander smiled widely, delighted that Edward agreed to his suggestion. Moreover, this relationship would be beneficial for both sides when the two families collaborate in the future.
“Alright, tonight I’ll meet Dylan to discuss your engagement,” Alexander said as he stood up. The middle-aged man was getting ready to leave the room.
“In that case, I’ll come along. It’s better if both of us go to meet Mr. Dylan together,” Edward offered, opening the office door for his father.
“Good idea. Then pick me up later at seven tonight,” Alexander replied, and Edward nodded, briefly hugging his father before letting him leave.
****
Dylan smiled suggestively as he watched the maids in his house busily serving food on the table. All of this preparation was for welcoming the arrival of Alexander and Edward, who were due to arrive shortly.
Chloe didn’t miss this sight. As she walked downstairs from the second floor, her eyes caught her father’s busy figure, supervising the maids’ movements in the dining area.
“Are we expecting a guest?” Chloe asked as she stood next to her father.
Dylan turned and nodded. “Yes, Alexander will be here soon. You better change and dress nicely.”
“Dress up?” Chloe repeated, looking puzzled. “Why do I have to dress up, Pa?”
“Of course, to welcome an important guest. Tonight, Alexander will come with Edward. We’ll discuss your engagement and marriage,” Dylan replied.
Chloe was taken aback. “Oh my goodness! Papa really wants to arrange my marriage with Edward? The man I just met?”
“But I know Alexander very well, Sweetheart. They come from a noble family and are big business owners. It’s an honor to be part of their family,” Dylan explained.
Chloe took a deep breath. She knew her father now had high hopes for her to marry the man he had chosen.
“Does Papa really hope for me to marry into the Martin family?” she asked.
Dylan smiled, stepping forward and holding both of his youngest daughter’s wrists. “Papa really hopes you’ll agree to this plan. But if you truly don’t like it, I’ll find a way to reject the Martin family’s proposal without offending them.”
This time, Chloe took another deep breath. Rather than replying to her father’s words, she chose to leave and hurriedly change her clothes. She then returned downstairs to welcome the guests who had already arrived at their home.
“Welcome, Alex. I’m glad you stopped by,” Dylan welcomed Alexander and Edward, allowing them to enter. Shortly afterward, he invited both of his guests to sit comfortably in the living room.
“I’m honored to be invited to your home,” Alexander replied. His gaze then shifted to the woman sitting next to Dylan. “How are you, Chloe? I hope you and your father are always in good health.”
Chloe smiled politely and nodded. “Thank you. I’m doing very well, Mister. I wish the same for you.”
In truth, Chloe disliked these superficial pleasantries. She had to keep up her polite demeanor and smile to respect the guests in front of her.
“Dylan, I don’t need to beat around the bush. You probably know why I’m here. As a father, I want to propose to your daughter to be Edward’s companion, the sole heir of the Martin family,” Alexander said to both of them.
Dylan smiled briefly at his two guests. “It’s an honor for me to be a part of the most prestigious family like yours, Lex. But I can’t decide on my own because it concerns my daughter’s future. It’s best if I ask Chloe directly if she’s willing to accept this proposal.”
This time, all eyes turned to Chloe. Aware that everyone was waiting for her response, she finally spoke up.
“I think it will take time to accept this proposal. Edward and I don’t really know each other personally yet.”
“It’s alright,” Edward immediately responded to Chloe’s statement. “I have plenty of time to wait until you fully accept me.”
Chloe grinned. “But, upon further thought, there’s no harm in accepting your proposal.”
Everyone was surprised by Chloe’s statement, especially Edward. He even asked to confirm.
“What do you mean?”
Chloe nodded. “Yes, I accept the Martin family’s proposal.”
Dylan and Alexander laughed in satisfaction. Their long-awaited hope was finally coming true. The two middle-aged men then excused themselves and headed to the dining room to continue their conversation, intentionally leaving Chloe and Edward alone to talk more freely.
“Well, why the sudden change of heart to accept my proposal? I’m not dreaming, am I? Weren’t you clearly warning me to stay away this morning?” Edward asked, trying to keep a relaxed demeanor.
With a nonchalant demeanor, Chloe tried to respond to the man sitting across from her. “People can change, right?”
“Yes, that’s true,” Edward replied. “But seeing how persistently you avoided me this morning, it’s quite strange that you’re suddenly accepting me.”
Chloe’s eyes blinked once. As usual, her face appeared emotionless.
“If you doubt it, you can cancel this proposal.”
“Ahh…” Edward smiled widely. “Don’t be offended. I’m just making sure. But, whether you take this proposal seriously or not, as I’ve said before, I’m sure you’ll fall in love with me very soon.”
Chloe smirked teasingly. “Oh, really? We’ll see if you can conquer my heart.”